THE BATTLEFORDS — For this year's Chapel Gallery Member Exhibition, set to run Nov. 30 to Jan. 7, nearly 26 artists from the Battlefords and surrounding area are preparing their best, brightest, or newest work to showcase.
"I am tremendously proud of the work that is accomplished by our members each year. This exhibition is a culmination of hard work and lots of failures, which has resulted in the creation of some very successful work," Leah Garven, Curator and Manager of Galleries for the City of North Battleford said in an email statement.
Garven said that many members of the Battlefords Art Club, which meets weekly at the Don Ross Centre Craft Room, or are members of ARC Creative Studios and will be together on Dec. 7 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for the reception.
"They are driving the art scene in the Battlefords and keeping it vibrant. For me, it's been wonderful to see how individual artists have explored and taken their work into different directions, improved upon their technical skills and creatively advanced their artist practice," Garven said.
"In this exhibition, I particularly see some marked improvement among the work that has been created," she added.
Approximately 55 works will be on exhibit from various artists including, Pam Beaver, Sherron Burns, Charley Farrero, Brianne Hager, Heather Hochbaun, Cindy Hoppe, Grace Gerein, Bonny Macnab, Joanne Rivers-Wing, and Rosemarie Stadnyk to name a few.
Brianne Hager, current secretary for the Battlefords Art Club is presenting art for the first time and told the News-Optimist that she's thrilled to be a part of the event this year.
"This is my first gallery member exhibition ... [and] I'm thrilled to be showcasing my art. While I've admired the artwork in the gallery before, I never truly saw myself as an artist. Having work displayed there feels great, standing alongside the wealth of talent presented by other local artists."
Hager will have a set of three mixed media paintings on display, made with watercolour, ink, and a 'zentangle' pattern she learned through the Battlefords Art Club — all combined with a 3D element.
"For me, it isn't the subject or theme as much as the process, although I am drawn more to nature, especially the night sky," Hager said.
"But I enjoy the process of taking an image — a butterfly or a cityscape — and finding ways to bring it to life ... I enjoy the challenge and the problem-solving. How can I add texture to the butterflies? What could I use to make the antennae?" she added.
Pam Peaver, another art club member and its current president, is also looking forward to the show.
"I've participated before and really love the exposure that the gallery gives members of the art community in the Battlefords," she told the Beaver told the News-Optimist.
She will be bringing two older pieces for display, belonging to her brother, Robin Miller, and a new third piece made within the last year.
"You can see the change in my style to my brother's two to now. It's exciting," she said.
"I create art for myself and if someone else loves it, that brings me joy ... so it's exciting for me and I love the feedback.
